While the present invention is adapted for the packaging of any elbow-shaped article, it is especially useful in the packaging of tubular plastic elbows, such as those used in electric conduit, and the invention will be described with reference to such elbows. These tubular elbows are typically formed of a thermoplastic material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and are used as insulating conduits for electrical cable or conductors. PVC elbows are produced in a range of sizes, typically having a diameter of 21/2 inches to 4 inches. The elbows are usually formed with a 90-degree bend, but larger or smaller bends are also occasionally used.
PVC elbows are produced at a manufacturing facility and then shipped to a distribution center or to the installation site. Due to the large and cumbersome shape of the elbows, it has been difficult to provide a package in which the elbows can be shipped. One of the most common methods of packaging PVC elbows for shipment has been to tape about five elbows together and ship them in that fashion, or put them loose into a rectangular container of cardboard or other heavy stock. One problem of shipping elbows in loose bundles of five or so elbows was that the bundles could not be stacked, and inefficient use was made of shipping space and warehouse space. When the elbows were placed in a loose fashion into a carton or other similar container, the cartons were usually incapable of being stacked more than two high due to the possibility of crushing the loosely filled containers. Further, the cartons could not be stored outside due to the adverse effects of inclement weather on the cardboard containers. In addition, when using any of these traditional shipping methods, a large amount of expensive shipping space and warehouse space was wasted, and the space requirements for a reasonable number of elbows was excessive.